FDID-SL completes a pilot survey on “Drug Abuse in the Central Business District of Freetown”
The pilot survey was financed and undertaken by Foundation for Democratic Initiatives and Development (FDID-SL) a civil society organization that works to enhance citizen’s participation and involvement in upholding and promoting a sustainable development culture through effective information dissemination, dialogue for a, advocacy, lobbing, civic education and community driven activities.
As a youth oriented and youth led organization we saw the urgent need for a pilot survey on the use of illicit drugs in the Central Business District of Freetown. We employed two survey methods in order to ascertain the level of drug misuse in this locality. First, questionnaires were prepared and subsequently administered to three hundred and fifty respondents. It was quite shocking to note that two hundred and forty one respondents had either traded in drugs or had use one illicit drug or another.
Again we conducted focus group discussions in five different areas within the community. The findings from these focus group discussions were just confirmations of the result we had from the questionnaires we administered. The result we had from the analyses of the data collected left us with no option but to put the fight against drug abuse at the top of our agenda.
Realising the close link between drug abuse and HIV/AIDs it became even more worrisome and we are therefore calling on state and non-state actors to take a critical look at this very serious problem that is affecting not only the youth but one that will be inimical to the very survival of our beloved state.
FDID-SL
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